Sandeela Kanwal

Sandeela Kanwal, 25, USA.

Sandeela traveled with her family to Pakistan for an arranged marriage. Her husband stayed in Pakistan, while the family returned to their home in Atlanta, Georgia. Months later, he moved to the US, and after a brief time with his wife in Atlanta, he moved to Chicago. “She was very unhappy with the marriage, had not seen the husband in three months and was seeking a divorce,” said Timothy Owens, a spokesman for the Clayton County Police Department.

In July of 2008, Sandeela filed for divorce. When her father, Chaudhry Rashid, found out about his daughter’s intentions, it caused conflict within the family. After Sandeela got home from working a late shift at Wal-Mart on July 6th, Sandeela and Chaudhry got into an argument, and at 1:55, Sandeela’s stepmother made a 911 call. “I hear a lot of hollering and screaming,” she told the 911 dispatcher “And I just woke up and I asked my family what’s going on. They’re from Pakistan. They’re not speaking any English to me. They’re not telling me nothing. Sandeela’s dead. Sandeela’s dead.”

Police arrived on the scene to find Sandeela dead on her bedroom floor and Chaudhry sitting cross-legged in the driveway, smoking a cigarette. Chaudhry confessed he killed his daughter because “she wasn’t being true to her religion or to her husband.” Chaundry has been on trial for the honour killing, but there have been many delays on the case due to Miranda protection discrepancies and privacy issues with taped evidence. The rest of Sandeela’s family plans to plead the fifth and say nothing to convict Chaudhry.